Our last episode for Season 13 was called “The Death of Toxic Gloria Ramirez”, and we spoke a bit about how people use the term toxic. This word is commonly used to discuss behaviour, but that isn’t the only way a person can be toxic. In the case of Gloria Ramirez; she was physically toxic, and unknowingly she made people very sick. As much as her case is unusual, it isn’t uncommon for a person to accidentally intake something or intake too much of something resulting in them getting sick. I think the moral of this episode is that too much of anything can result in disaster.
We started Season 14 with a topic I wanted to do for a while - The European Werewolf Trials. These occurred alongside witch trials, but its not as well known. These trials were driven by the same things that the witch trials were: superstition, and the need for power. Many of the accused were homeless, recent immigrants, individuals of disability, or those who were loners. If you different, you were a target. The saddest thing about this story is that the same thing happens today. People are more than happy to look down their noses at people who are not like them, and accuse them of horrible things.
Our next episode was about Bobby Mackey’s Music World, which is world famous due to its alleged hauntings. The problem with that many of the stories attached to this location have been combined with urban lore, and because of that it is hard to see where the truth actually lies. For example; there is no documentation that supports that murder victim Pearl Bryan was killed at this honky tonk bar. There is no proof that she ever went to that location, just as there is no proof that a satanic cult was ever attached to this location. Either way, I think it is a brilliant business strategy to market your establishment as a haunted bar. It is a good way to bring in customers who are not interested in country music.
The next episode in Season 14 was called “The Ken and Barbie Killers”. Paul Bernardo and Kara Homolka are infamous in Canada. Paul is famous for being a murderer and rapist. Kara is famous for being the same, but for getting away with it. Many in Canada still remember her “deal with the devil”, and are angry that she did not pay for her crimes as she should have. That is why many still track her movements, and post this on social media. I am not sure if I agree with that, but I can say I was not happy to hear that she was volunteering at my nephew’s elementary school.
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…and until next time…